Taking some of the most arcane and overlooked entries into the North American songbook, penning songs inspired by such compositions, and singing them with such passion and conviction that the appeal for them far surpasses the otherwise niche audience for such music, Colter Wall is the 2020 SCM Artist of the Year.
As a simple illustration of the support Saving Country Music shows to minorities and LGBT members in country, here is a list of 89 dedicated features covering these artists posted over the last few years to go along with the list of 97 Women SCM Has Featured in 2020 alone.
In the continued and ongoing effort to slander, cancel, and deplatform Saving Country Music based on Jussie Smollett-style fake accusations by rival journalists tied to coverage of the death of Charley Pride, performer Margo Price made some defaming comments about me, Kyle “Trigger” Coroneos, on Saturday evening (12-19).
The accolades keep pouring in for Tyler Childers and his 2017 album Purgatory. The latest distinction is the album itself officially being Certified Gold by the RIAA for selling 500,000 copies in physical sales and streaming equivalents. It is the first independently-released title to achieve this distinction in over 18 years.
Pop country star Sam Hunt has now been indicted on drunk driving charges by a Davidson County Grand Jury. Police initiated a traffic stop where they observed Sam Hunt had bloodshot eyes, and two empty beer cans near him.
“Every precaution was taken. I think it’s unfortunate that people are out there crusading to stir up some mud. Because I really don’t think the CMAs were negligent in any way. Every time we darkened the door, we got tested,” says Charley Pride’s longtime manager, bass player, and close friend.
“She said Jimmy Rabbitt turned her on to my last album” is the line from David Allan Coe’s infamous song “Longhaired Redneck” where many got clued into this man’s importance. But his legacy goes much deeper as both a DJ and a performer.
Completely stupid, and perfectly irreverent for the Holiday season, it’s not being hyperbolic to say say this could be one of those compositions that catches fire somehow and accidentally becomes a Christmas classic. All we needed was a proper studio version of it, which we now have.
Like so many other mainstay music institutions in 2020, PBS’s Austin City Limits program has been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, and been forced to scale back tapings significantly for the next year. However, there are some new shows that will be moving forward, and a tribute.
Hailing from Castlewood, VA in the heart of Appalachia, the five-piece 49 Winchester serves it up greasy, whether it’s Southern fried rock, honky tonk country, sentimental moments tickling the fringes of Americana, or a version of soul that takes all of those influences and stews them.
Individually, Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno are already two of the most exciting, promising, and talented up-and-comers in most all of roots music. Put them together, and they’re even greater than the sum of their parts.
Comedian John Crist is taking the lyrics of some of country music’s worst songs to task by turning literal interpretations of them into video skits. If you ever wondered how implausible the premise of “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” or “Dirt Road Anthem” is, he’s got you covered.
You can try to imbibe your recordings with the influence of country royalty, or you can just invite them into the studio to record with you, which is what Amber Digby does on this new record, cutting duets with the likes of Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, the late great Johnny Bush, and Vince Gill among others.
Due to COVID-19, and then the protests and riots, the Saving Country Music snark machine has been pretty much powered down and collecting dust for the better part of 2020. But there has been as few instances of country music malfeasance so egregious, it would be unconscionable to not address.
Jimmy Snyder’s most lasting contribution was as a fixture in local clubs, playing classic country standards and originals, and often giving up-and-comers some of their first opportunities on legendary stages in both California and Nashville.
In this new album, Sturgill Simpson isn’t just fulfilling a promise to fans to cut a bluegrass record, he’s finding and settling into the next phase of his career, which is as a full-blown bluegrass musician. Simpson saved his most personal songs for ‘Cuttin’ Grass, Vol. 2 (The Cowboy Arms Sessions).’
Country legend Charlie Pride passed away on Saturday, December 12th due to complications from COVID-19, his family and representative have confirmed. Amid his death, much speculation arose of where Charley Pride may have contracted the virus, and if it was at the 2020 CMA Awards on November 11th
Country Music Hall of Famer, Grand Ole Opry member, and pioneering black country artist Charley Pride has passed away due to complications of COVID-19. He died on December 12th at the age of 86 in Dallas, TX. Born in Sledge, Mississippi as the forth child of 11 children to a sharecropper.
Billboard has published their year-end wrap on country music for 2020 (the music year ends in November), and as you can imagine, it’s a healthy dose of Luke Combs leading many of the metrics, especially from Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers.
Those who’ve studied the career of Sturgill Simpson don’t need a lesson of just how close he was to country legend Merle Haggard later in Haggard’s life. The cross-generational friendship formed not from the fawning of Sturgill, but from a sincere appreciation from Merle for what Sturgill was doing.
Though it may be daunting to navigate with so many releases, Saving Country Music is here for you, and with so many releases, 2020 is also the first year you can compile a full-fledged Christmas playlist entirely of newly-released songs from the country world.
That bastard did it again. Just as country and bluegrass fans were just settling in for a long Winter’s nap Thursday evening (12-10), alerts started going off that Sturgill Simpson wasn’t just messing with us when he titled his recent Cuttin’ Grass album Vol. 1. Now he has released Vol. 2
Shooter Jennings has signed on with the Concord Label Group as a staff producer who will work closely with Concord’s Chief Label Executive Tom Whalley as a creative executive to develop the current roster, and identify new talent. Concord owns numerous imprints important to the country and roots realm.
We’ve run down the Album of the Year Nominees for 2020, as well as the Song of the Year nominees, and an Essential Albums list is also coming together. But since the mainstream of country isn’t always well-represented on these lists, let’s look back on some of those best albums.
